The successes and limitations of contemporary approaches to child protection

This chapter acknowledges the successes in child protection as well as the weaknesses and limitations that need to be addressed through the development of public health approaches. The child protection intervention framework is problematized as not delivering well enough the aims it has espoused. Global perspectives and historical developments are explored, including the similarities and differences found among approaches around the globe. We explore the difficulties experienced by contemporary systems such as: institutional and system processes and responses; dealing with poverty and neglect; the stigma associated with statutory interventions; the negative impacts of child abuse and neglect upon children, families and communities; the increasing system costs; the changing social constructions of childhood and maltreatment; the challenges of evaluating systemic outcomes and efficacy; and reform processes in child protection. This chapter challenges the philosophical underpinnings of child protection approaches and argues for reform of them through public health approaches that promote earlier intervention and prevention strategies

Understanding trauma and child maltreatment experienced in Indigenous communities

This chapter critiques historical and contemporary child protection approaches that are viewed as replicating the colonialist practices of child removal and destruction of families/parenting and communities. Using Australia and Canada as examples, it focuses upon three different sources of the disadvantage and distress that Indigenous communities typically experience: the impacts of Colonisation; intergenerational trauma; and the ongoing social, economic, legal and political inequalities that stem from deep-seated inequity. Public health approaches that are culturally safe and non-stigmatising, community controlled and which embrace early intervention and prevention are needed. Principles are provided for system reforms and innovations in policy and practice. The chapter promotes understanding of the complexity that exists, and why the solutions must be multi-level, and multi-facetted in order to turn around the over-representation of Western viewpoints that drives child protection and the resultant gross over-representation of Indigenous children in these systems. This chapter highlights that despite the scope and scale of issues being faced, Indigenous communities nonetheless have well-developed and resilient informal helping and relational networks that can facilitate healing approaches. Examples are given of community initiatives, strategies, programs and services that herald positive processes and outcomes for Indigenous children, families and communities